Workplace Culture

To optimize the workplace culture for all faculty members, the Office of Well-being and Resilience oversees several programs and initiatives, such as:

• Faculty Well-being Champions Program: This signature program of our office creates a direct line from faculty across the institution to both departmental leadership and the Office of Well-being and Resilience. Each department has a well-being champion to gather departmental data on well-being, burnout, and faculty satisfaction and identify well-being priorities for action on an annual basis. See the list of Faculty Well-being Champions by department here or email owbr@mssm.edu for more information.
• Faculty Well-being Survey: Our anonymous, institution-wide, biennial survey instrument assesses measures of faculty burnout and well-being and perhaps more importantly the drivers that impact each. The findings of these surveys are provided to all faculty and to individual department chairs and champions to help inform departmental plans to address well-being. Additionally, the surveys assess current and needed resources for mental health, well-being and career development across the system. Email owbr@mssm.edu for more information.
• HRSA Program: The HRSA grant funds the development, implementation, and staffing of the CARE (Culture, Access, Resilience, Education) series. Please click here for more information on our leadership trainings and resiliency huddles offered for Mount Sinai faculty and staff. Interested in receiving these trainings? Click here for our interest form.
• Physician and Scientist Leadership Workshops: These workshops here were developed in response to our faculty survey responses. We now offer four to eight workshops twice annually on the following topics: Coaching for GROWth, Psychological Safety, Challenging Conversations, and Leveling Up Praise and Appreciation among others (and the list is growing).
• Coaching for Faculty: We now offer two coaching programs, one based on group coaching for all Faculty and one based on 1:1 coaching for GME leaders. Email owbr@mssm.edu for more information.

We provide a variety of services specifically designed for residents and clinical fellows, including:

• The Office of Graduate Medical Education Well-being Survey: This annual, anonymous, online survey assesses burnout, well-being, and finding meaning in work. It also includes program-specific questions about systems-level initiatives, such as use of wellness days and mental health resources. Email owbr@mssm.edu for more information.
• GME Well-being Subcommittee: This group gives voice to residents and clinical fellows, faculty members, and administrators to promote trainee well-being and prevent or mitigate job burnout. Email Mica Muir mica.muir@mssm.edu for more information. (change paul to mica)
• GME Well-being Champions Program: In this program, faculty members work towards promoting a culture of well-being within residencies and fellowship programs. (faculty members was written twice)

The Office for Medical Student Affairs and the Office of Well-Being and Resilience supports student well-being. Resources and programs have been developed to promote a culture of well-being among medical students such as: 

• ISMMS Advising System: assigns students with several advisors including Wellness Advisors (WA) and Faculty Advisors (FA) to help guide students through all four years of medical school.
  
  
  • Faculty Advisors: Practicing physicians within the Mount Sinai Health System have no role in assessment or advancement of their students are your first point of contact for academic, career, and professional development. You can make an appointment on Blackboard via MARC.
  • Wellness Advisors: are clinical social workers who are available for one-on-one meetings focused on self-care, support, and resource building. The WA helps students cope with school pressures and interpersonal or relationship issues. Our WA are also available to make referrals for additional mental health or other supportive services if needed.
  • Student advisors: These fourth-year medical students offer peer support, guidance, and mentorship. Email owbr@mssm.edu for more information.
    
    
• The Student Wellness Oversight Task Force: They supervise the creation and execution of all mandated wellness activities and those deemed to be priorities by the Department of Medical Education. For more information, email Alicia Hurtado, MD, Associate Dean for Medical Student Wellness and Student Affairs.

• IcahnBeWelll: This medical student-directed student wellness program supports spiritual, emotional, physical, professional, and financial well-being of students. Throughout the years, IcahnBeWell has hosted numerous events with the goal of building community among our students.

  • The Student Council Health and Wellness Committee consists of one representative from each MD class and multiple representatives from the graduate school student body. The purpose of this committee is to facilitate the resolution of any issue related to student health by working with the student bodies of the medical and graduate schools, the schools’ administrations, and hospital staff.

Resources for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows include the following:

• Trainee Health and Wellness Committee: Through the Trainee Health and Wellness Committee (THAW), PhD students, master’s students, and postdoctoral fellows work to improve training environments by implementing well-being programs and resources. THAW also includes an extensive peer-mentoring program that is open to all trainees. 
• Graduate Student Peer Support: This group offers a peer-support system for PhD and MSBS students, a session during orientation devoted to preparing students for graduate training, THAW Lunch and Learn series, and a workshop series called  Thriving in Graduate School. Email owbr@mssm.edu for more information.